


For the Feels

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Reader Prompts JL [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, Fluff, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:47:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23249458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: In times like these, we need distraction in the form of Jily feels and sweet fluff so have this collection of Jily drabbles done for reader prompts!
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Series: Reader Prompts JL [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/881871
Comments: 61
Kudos: 97





	1. Prompt 13: “You give the best hugs.”

**Author's Note:**

> In order to distract ourselves, maybe even cheer us up in the light of the current situation, I came up with this [Prompt List](https://chierafied.tumblr.com/post/613215927283138561/drabble-prompt-list) on Tumblr and opened up for reader prompts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Magic-girl-in-a-muggle-world 💕

It was a truth universally acknowledged that Lily Evans did not like James Potter.

That was why she hadn’t told anyone that when she had received that awful letter from Petunia in their third year and hidden way in the fifth-floor broom closet to cry her eyes out, James Potter had stumbled on her. And with his hazel eyes unusually solemn, he’d given her a hug and held her close while she cried.

They had never talked about that incident.

Just as they’d never addressed that time at the end of the fifth year when Lily had been upset over her recent falling out with Snape and had been meaning to find an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express so she could wallow in peace. Instead, she had – literally – run into James. Wordlessly, he’d pulled her into his arms and ran his hand through her hair until she had calmed down.

In the start of their seventh year, when Lily’s dislike of James had decidedly dwindled, she arrived on the platform 9¾ with her new Head Girl badge pinned on the lapel of her denim jacket. James spotted her, noticed the badge and let out a laugh.

Then, without any warning or preamble, he scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around.

Her head spinning from more than just the circles she’d just been subjected to, Lily was glad to feel firm ground under her feet and had her arms still wrapped around James’ shoulders for support.

“What was all that about?” she asked him.

“That was sheer relief that we will have at least one Head student who knows what the bloody hell they are on about,” he replied, hazel eyes still twinkling.

Lily’s eyebrows rose. 

“You’re the Headboy?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Don’t worry, Potter. You have other redeeming qualities,” Lily comforted him, the corner of her lips twitching.

“I do?” James asked, sounding genuinely surprised.   
“Yes.” Lily pressed close, let her cheek come to rest against his shoulder. “You give the best hugs.”


	2. Prompt 12: “Please pretend to be my boyfriend/girlfriend for the next 5 minutes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Fel 💙

For once in his life, James Potter was minding his damn business, sitting alone in the corner table of the pub. He was sipping his cider and waiting for his mates to show up when the strangest thing happened.

A gorgeous redhead plopped down to the seat next to his with a huge smile on her face.

“Sorry I’m late,” she chirped, confusing the hell out of James since he had never seen this girl in his life – and she didn’t look pissed or barking.

Then, James stopped thinking altogether because the woman leaned in to brush a kiss on his cheek.

He was so preoccupied at such an unexpected show of intimacy from a beautiful stranger that he almost missed the words she hurriedly hissed out as she hovered there, close to his ear.

“Please pretend to be my boyfriend for the next five minutes.”

She pulled back smiling at him, and for the first time, he noticed that the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

Green and bright like jewels, her eyes were filled with an emotion that looked awfully close to panic. 

James took the woman’s hand, hoping to reassure her.

“Better late than never,” he replied, flashing her a grin.

The woman’s shoulders slumped in relief. She gave his hand a little squeeze.

James sipped at his cider again.

He wasn’t sure what else to do – there were a dozen questions swirling in his mind but he could tell the time wasn’t right to ask any of them.

Especially when he could notice the looks the woman kept darting around the pub, nervous glances which make James want to pull her closer.

Then, the woman stiffened, her fingers clamping hard around his hand.

“Sorry,” she said in a hurried whisper. Then she yanked her hand free of his hold and pressed to him.

Her hands clamped on his cheeks and her lips brushed against his and James was in heaven.

He let out a strangled moan, had his hand tangled in that magnificent red hair and was kissing her back with fully authentic fervour. 

He’d forgotten all about pretending, wanting nothing more than to lose himself in this moment, in her, hoping it would last forever.

She sighed into the kiss and then pulled back, although her forehead rested against his for several lingering seconds.

“Wow,” she murmured after she’d pulled away from him, still a little breathless. “Wasn’t expecting that.”

“Sorry,” James said, suddenly sheepish because only now did he remember he was only supposed to be pretending.

“Don’t be,” she replied quickly. “You don’t need to apologise for that. Trust me.”

Their gazes locked and something hummed in the air around them, an acute awareness of every single millimetre that separated them.

And before James’ brain caught up with the feeling swelling inside of him, the words were already tumbling out of his mouth.

“Please let me actually be your boyfriend.”

Those green eyes sparked with the smile that curved her lips. She reached out and clasped his hand much as he’d done with hers earlier, entwining her fingers with his.

“I’ll take that under consideration,” she replied, the tone of her voice light and teasing.

And it was at that moment that James was certain he was in love with this woman that he barely knew.


	3. Prompt 1: “I wasn’t sure what you liked so I got you a bit of everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the sweetest Ellie Sofia! 💕

Lily lay in bed, buried under the blankets.

Despite the stove heating the room, the heavy blankets, the drawn curtains of her four-poster bed, she still felt cold.

She was beyond the tears now. Beyond the pain.

Only numbness was left.

There was a knock on the door.

Lily didn’t respond.

After several quiet moments, the door creaked open. Another moment later, slow footsteps followed.

Then, a hesitant whisper. 

“Lily?”

Lily’s head turned.

She knew she probably should care why they were here – and more importantly,  _ how _ they were here.

Because that voice hadn’t belonged to any of her dormmates. The voice had been James Potter’s.

The words came out gravelly because Lily wasn’t sure when she’d last spoken anything.

“What do you want?”

“I brought you something, can I come in?” James replied.

“You’re already in,” Lily said.

A moment later, the curtain of her four-poster bed was pulled aside. 

Lily squinted at the light.

Once her eyes adjusted, she saw a huge sack James was rummaging through by her bedside.

In short order, James proceeded to pull out a big bottle of Firewhisky and two bags of Lily’s favourite type of chocolates and set them down on her bedside table.

Then came the books.

As he kept piling them up on the foot of the bed while Lily looked on, stunned, she couldn’t help wondering if he had gone to ransack the whole library.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked so I got a bit of everything,” James said, as he pulled even more books out of the sack. “I mean you usually read Agatha Christie or Enid Blyton in the autumn and in winter you like to cosy up with _The Hobbit_ or _The Secret Garden_ or Beatrix Potter and in the spring you turn to L. M. Montgomery… And Jane Austen is probably your all-time favourite, but –”

Lily had stopped listening. 

She gaped at James and the pile of books and then, for the first time in days, she  _ felt _ .

It swelled in her chest, washed over her like a tidal wave.

And then she was scrambling from under her blankets, stumbling against James, winding her arms around his neck, twining her fingers to make a mess of his dark hair.

Tears, again, at last, flowed down her cheeks as she kissed James with a kind of fervour that had never possessed her before.

When she pulled back, James hugged her close but his face was stricken.

“Don’t cry. Please. I came to cheer you up, not to make you cry.”

Lily shook her head, her hands fisting in his robes.

“You noticed what I was reading,” she said, her voice hoarse and wobbly.

“Well…” James blushed. “I hope that’s not too weird, I mean –”

“Say it,” Lily told him, her gaze boring into his hazel eyes. “I want to hear it. Need to.”

“I’m sorry your dad died.”

Lily shook her head, but her stare held steady.

“Not that. Tell me why you noticed.”

James swallowed. His fingers clenched against Lily’s back. He closed his eyes and let his forehead come rest against hers.

When he opened his eyes they found hers unerringly.

“I love you, Lily Evans,” he said at last.

Lily drew in a quivering breath and just stayed there, in his arms, her forehead pressed against his, soaking the words in, storing them deep into her heart.

“Please stay with me,” she whispered against his lips.

James held her closer.

“Anything you need, Lily.”

And for the first time for a long long while, the corners of Lily’s lips turned up in a smile.

Because she knew that James meant every word.


	4. Prompt 9: "May I have this dance?"

Swamped with the realities of their seventh and final year at Hogwarts and the sheer amount of school work that had been mercilessly piled on to them ever since the term had begun had resulted in the Head Students quickly finding themselves woefully out of their depth.

James hadn’t even been a Prefect so it was all new to him, and while Lily was usually both dutiful and diligent, she’d been prioritising her classes over the Head Student duties. 

And now that September was close to ending, the pair of them were forced to finally confront all the stupid Head Student related paperwork that they had been putting off.

Such as the agenda for the next meeting with the Prefects, the rotas for patrolling, the monthly tallies of how many points the Prefects had been docking and incident reports of anything noteworthy that had happened in the past three weeks. 

Lily sank into an armchair in the corner of the Gryffindor Common Room with a groan.

They had started to work on the mountain of the neglected paperwork in the library, but had barely started making a dent in it before Madam Pince had come to chase them out so she could close the library down for the night.

And now they were forced to crank out all the rest of it in the Gryffindor Common Room, which on a Friday night was livelier than usual as everyone had a whole weekend to get their homework done.

“Take deep breaths,” James murmured from the floor beside the armchair. “We can do this.”

Lily was glad for James’ confidence because she wasn’t so sure.

“Let’s just keep at it,” she replied with a sigh, reaching to take out a wad of parchment from her bag from where she’d hastily packed her portion of the work. 

They lapsed into silence, filled only by the scratching of their quills, and the occasional small voices of frustration.

Lily was frowning at the agenda for next month’s meeting, trying to rack her brain because she was  _ sure _ she’d forgotten something she’d been meaning to include but just what had that been…?

And then the train of her thought disappeared altogether because someone on the other side had just put music on.

Lily looked up from her parchment, her green eyes flashing murder.

“Seriously? Can’t they see we’re trying to work here?”

But James wasn’t in a murderous mood. Instead, he stretched, then tossed his parchment aside.

“We’ve worked long enough,” he decided. “We should take a break.”

“What?”

“A break, Evans.” He got up from the floor and grinned at her. “They’re good for your soul.”

“But there’s still so much,” Lily said, helplessly gesturing at the mess of scattered parchment around her.”

“And it will be here waiting when you’ll come back to it, refreshed and in a clearer frame of mind,” James said, managing to sound reasonable.

And then there was a hand proffered.

Lily looked at it, looked up into the twinkling hazel eyes.

“May I have this dance?” James asked.

Lily set aside her parchment and grabbed James’ hand, getting out from the chair.

The song was loud and upbeat, and totally unsuited for the slowly turning waltz James led her into but that just made it all the more perfect. Lily’s shoulders slumped as she relaxed against him, and a few seconds later she was laughing. 

He grinned at her, wide and bright and to Lily he’d never looked more handsome. 

Slowly turning in a circle to the ridiculous song, held oh-so-gently against his warm, lean body, and staring into those laughing hazel eyes, feeling the smile stretch her lips wide…

That was the moment Lily Evans knew she was in love.


	5. Prompt 11. “We’ve officially become that sappy couple none of our friends can’t stand.”

"You and James are so sweet together that it turns my stomach," Marlene declared, out of the blue.

Lily accidentally inhaled her coffee and lapsed into a fit of coughs, earning curious glances from other patrons of the busy café. 

"What do you mean?" she wheezed when she was sure there was no coffee left in her lungs. "What did we do?"

"Nothing, it’s more of the way you behave around each other.” Marlene leaned back in her chair and pursed her lips. ”You share smiles. You give each other these long, lingering looks – sometimes I can practically feel myself fading away because I swear in that moment you only have eyes for James. You have all these stupid inside jokes none of us gets. You're always touching.”

“Touching?” Lily shook her head. “No, we’re not all over each other like a couple of horny teenagers turned octopi.”

“No, you’re mindful of the PDA but somehow what you do is  _ worse _ because it’s like you don’t even realise it! You can’t walk past James without laying your hand on his arm."

Lily frowned. She tried to recall a situation where she would have walked past James like in Marlene’s example, but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember if she had touched him or not in such a situation. 

But then, Marlene's point about inside jokes was certainly true... 

“Oh, don’t look so worried,” Marlene huffed, tossing a napkin at Lily. “You know this is all coming from the envious, bitter heart of a single woman. So just ignore me."

"I’m not gonna ignore you!” Lily told her, flinging the crumpled up napkin right back at Marlene. “If it gets too much and you really start feeling sick just tell us, ok. We’ll tone it down."

Marlene laughed. "I’ll believe that when I see it! You two positively radiate happiness when you're together, it's disgusting." She winked at Lily. “Honestly though, I couldn’t be happier for you.”

Lily beamed back at her friend. She couldn’t be happier, either.

* * *

Or so she thought, until later that evening, when she was staring at the light shifting across her bedroom ceiling, James’ head resting on her stomach, her fingers playing in his ridiculous hair.

“So… We’ve officially become that sappy couple none of our friends can’t stand. Or that at least one of our friends can’t stand.”

“We have? Is it weird if I feel proud of that?”

“Yeah, Marlene told me today that we’re so sweet together that it makes her sick.” She paused. “And dunno, but I’m definitely feeling proud of that, it takes a lot to make Marlene feel sick.”

James laughed, and Lily basked in that warm sound, her own lips curving into a smile in response.

“Well, if we’re reached such extraordinary levels of sappiness, I suppose there’s only one course of action we can take.” James grinned up at her.

“Oh?” Lily asked, her curiosity stirring. “What’s that then?”

“We’re gonna have to get married now.”

Lily’s hands stilled in James’ hair. She sat up so suddenly James had to get up, too.

She stared at him, her mind whirling, her heart racing, her eyes desperate to find any kind of a sign to over-analyse.

“How much of that was a joke and how much in earnest?” she asked in a hushed, awed tone.

“Well…” James was mussing up his own hair now, as he always did when he was nervous. “The answer to that would entirely depend on whether or not you agreed with me.”

Lily closed their distance and grabbed the front on his shirt.

“Propose to me properly,” she told him, her gaze locked with his, “and I’ll say yes.”

Then, she kissed him. 

And as she felt James smile against her lips she knew she’d been wrong earlier. She  _ could,  _ in fact, be happier – she could be  _ the happiest _ .


	6. Prompt 21: "How did you know?"

On a Tuesday evening, close to the curfew, James’ gaze, distracted from the game of Exploding Snap Peter and Sirius were playing, swept across the Gryffindor Common Room.

Then he frowned. 

He hadn’t found what he’d been looking for; he hadn’t glimpsed of the deep red hair or heard the familiar tinkling laugh.

Lily Evans wasn’t in the room.

That wasn’t like Evans at all – and anything unusual, especially when in relation to Lily Evans – was sure to get James’ immediate attention.

Bubbling with curiosity, he excused himself and left his friends to their game. 

He slipped out of the Gryffindor Common Room, ignoring the Fat Lady as she yelled about the upcoming curfew at his retreating back.

Once he was in a quiet spot, James pulled out the map. 

He didn’t use it to  _ spy _ on Lily – not really. But he might have slid into a habit of checking where she was and wondering what she was doing, every now and then.

Especially after Marlene had mentioned about a hair-raising incident with some of the less unsavoury older Slytherins last month…

Worry building in his chest, James scanned the map.

“Come on, come on, come on,” he muttered under his breath, until finally, heaving a sigh of relief, he found the dot labelled Lily Evans.

She was alone, not surrounded by some gang of Slytherins, which was good news.

The baffling news was that she seemed to be pacing in a supply closet on the fourth floor.

Curious and curiouser.

James wiped the map, stuffed it back into his pocket and rushed down to the staircase.

Knowing all the shortcuts and best routes to take, he made it quick work down the three floors and was soon approaching the supply closet in question.

Out in the empty corridor, near the door, was a lone abandoned school bag. James had a pretty good guess as to whom it belonged.

James stopped in front of the closed door and knocked.

“All right there, Evans?”

The words came out distant and muffled, but James could still hear both the incredulity and relief lacing Lily’s voice.

“Potter? Is that you? Please open the door. Please.”

“Give me a moment,” he told her, rolling up the sleeves of his robes before crouching to peer at the door handle. 

The first few spells he tried were of no help, but the third time was the charm and the door swung open.

Evans bolted out of the closet and then slumped on the stone floor in the middle of the corridor.

“Oh thank Merlin,” she said, her voice shaking. “How did you find me? How did you know? Never mind, I don’t really care. Thank you, Potter.”

She was visibly flustered, hugging the bag she’d just snatched up to her chest and James couldn’t help but smile at the picture she made.

“You’re most welcome. Though I can’t figure out what you were doing in a supply closet.”

“Losing my damn mind,” Evans replied. She grimaced. “It was Peeves. I told him off earlier today for giving grief to a couple of first years and I guess he didn’t like that. I was on my way back to the Common Room when he appeared out of nowhere and locked me in.”

James shook his head. “I should’ve guessed. Peeves likes nothing better than giving grief to all of us.”

“I’d packed my wand in my bag so there was nothing I could do about it. And of course, the moment I’d need a hairpin to try and pick the lock the old fashioned way there was none to be found,” Evans groused.

“There’s an old fashioned way to pick a lock?” James asked, intrigued.

“Never mind that,” Evans said, waving her hand at him. “What time is it? Is it past the curfew yet?”

“We might still make it back to the tower on time if we hurry,” James replied, offering his hand to her.

Her fingers were warm when they wrapped around his hand in a firm grip. He helped her up and started when she stepped close.

Her green eyes were bright as she smiled at him. “Thank you for helping me.”

And then, sweet and soft and featherlight, Lily’s lips brushed James’ cheek in a kiss that – innocent though it was – had James’ head spinning.

All the way back to the Gryffindor tower, James grinned like a fool at Lily’s back, his cheek still tingling from the kiss and his steps light.


	7. Prompt P: Celebrity Crush

James stood there, uncomfortable in his formal get up and making polite small talk. He was also trying very hard not to stare at Lily Evans, who stood across the room.

He’d never been this close to her and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that – he was somewhere between elation and panic while also vaguely embarrassed.

After all, most people probably wouldn’t have a crush on a television presenter of a children’s show.

But James Potter wasn’t most people and because the show in question was little Harry’s favourite, he’d been seeing a lot of Lily Evans through the screen.

There was just something about the way she smiled, about the way she interacted with the children… She seemed so  _ genuine _ that before James realised what was happening he was halfway in love.

And now they were standing in the same room, for the first time ever.

Of course, he’d known she would be here – after all, she was a very big proponent of this particular nonprofit and had even been the face of their recent ad campaign. 

Lily Evans wasn’t the reason James had come to this fundraiser, though. The nonprofit was very close to his own heart, too – especially after Harry’s surgery – and deserved what little support James could give it.

James mingled and made his polite rounds. And by some miracle, half an hour later, he found himself in a quiet corner with none other than Lily Evans, quite by an accident.

“I see you’ve found my hiding place,” she told him, green eyes twinkling.

James stared at her mutely for a moment, until he finally found his voice. 

“I’m sorry for intruding, I didn’t think –”

“Oh, I was only joking,” she cut in. “Well, in part. There’s only so much small talk I can take.”

“Then I’ll spare you from any,” James offered. “We can stand here in awkward silence instead.”

Lily laughed. “I appreciate the offer. Though I have some energy left in me still to talk; as long as it’s not about the weather.”

“Well, in that case, I have to say I’m very delighted to finally meet you,” James said. “My son is a very big fan of your show and it honestly feels a little weird standing next to you right now.”

“Don’t worry, I get it a lot from parents. I’m sure they get tired looking at this same old face day after day,” Lily said.

“Oh, not at all,” James replied, then promptly blushed. “I mean, I have to confess I rather enjoy watching the show too.”

A smile twitched at the corners of Lily’s lips. “Really?”

And just then, a woman James didn’t recognise – likely someone working for the nonprofit – found them in their peaceful corner.

“Oh, here you are. Just reminding you, Miss Evans, that your speech will be in half an hour. Ah, I see you’ve met Lord Potter. Honoured to have you attend, your donation was very generous.”

“It was for a very worthy cause,” James replied.

With a smile and a nod, the woman left.

Lily watched him, one eyebrow raised.

“Lord Potter?”

“Don’t worry,” James said, a little sheepish. “It’s only a courtesy title. I’m not an actual peer.”

“ _ Yet _ ,” Lily said. “Which title are you in line to inherit?”

“Well, my father is Earl Deerham,” James replied.

“Of course he is,” Lily muttered, shaking her head. “Excuse me while I go crawl into a hole somewhere.”

“Why? You have done absolutely nothing wrong. And my family has never really been one for putting on airs.”

“Says the son of an  _ Earl _ ,” Lily said wryly.

“Just think of me like any other parent whose child is a huge fan of your show.” James shrugged. “It’s true enough, after all.”

“I can try,” Lily frowned, but couldn’t help adding one snarky “my lord.”

James grinned at her. “Well speaking of, would it be all right to take a selfie with you? My son would be over the moon to know we’ve met.”

“Sure,” Lily said.

She stepped closer while James took out his phone. He tried not to fumble with it, even though he felt like a nervous schoolboy; all too aware of the warmth Lily’s body was radiating next to his.

They smiled at the camera and James snapped the picture, showing it to Lily.

She nodded at it. “That’s brilliant. Actually, do you mind sending it to me? My sister will eat all of her hats once she finds out I met a lord.”

For the next few seconds, James forgot how to breathe.

Then, hoping he sounded casual, he replied: “Of course. Give me your number and I’ll send it right away.”

“Very smooth,” Lily commented before she rattled off her number to him. 

But the green eyes were bright and a smile was still playing on her lips and she hadn’t moved from his side, if anything, she’d leaned a little closer.

And for the first time in a long while, James Potter dared to hope.


	8. Prompt 7: “So you’re the one my mother has been raving about.” + Prompt P) Celebrity Crush

It all began with Lily eating lunch in the breakroom and idly leafing through one of the several publishers' catalogues of autumn's upcoming book releases.

She turned a page and found her attention commandeered by an author photograph – that wild dark hair and crooked grin were oddly compelling and there was something familiar about him…

It wasn’t until the words “James Potter” and “ _ Who Has the Last Laugh _ ” jumped out at her from the same page that it clicked.

Last Laugh had been all the rage for the past year, a new comedy panel show because God knew they didn’t already have enough of those. 

Still, Lily had to admit it was a fun show, based on the couple of episodes she’d manage to catch.

It had become one of Lily’s mother’s favourite shows and James Potter, comedian and one of the regular panellists on the show, had become someone her mother raved endlessly about.

And if Jame Potter had a book coming out, Lily’s mother would want to know. 

So Lily grabbed her phone, snapped a picture of the publisher’s catalogue and texted her mum.

If Lily happened to catch Last Laugh episodes on a more regular basis after that, paying particular attention to James Potter and his wildly gesticulating excitement and quick-witted quips and laugh-out-loud stories told of old pranks pulled, well… That was just so she could better keep up with the small talk with friends and family and colleagues when the topic turned to TV shows.

After all, Last Laugh had become a household name.

Then, in August, coming to work Lily heard the news. James Potter was going on tour to promote his book. And their bookstore was one of the locations he’d chosen to do a reading and signing session in.

Lily wasn’t sure how to feel about it all. On the one hand, it was exciting and such an event would be really good for the bookstore. And on the other hand, Lily could vividly picture her adoring mother making a fool of herself in front of the young man half her age she happened to idolise.

Lily still hadn’t sorted out her feelings and made up her mind when the day of the event dawned. Her mother, predictably, would be attending. She’d called Lily last night so full of excitement that Lily had found her endearing – even though it was highly embarrassing to see her own mother go full fangirl.

She guessed it was the embarrassment that made her shove her foot in the mouth that evening, when shortly before the event she unexpectedly found herself alone with the comedian.

Lily had been tasked to check up on him, so she poked her head in the back office that had been lent to his use.

He seemed different in real life than he did on the TV screen. Younger. And the easy confidence Lily had come to associate with him was absent at the moment. He was pacing a little in the backroom, and kept mussing up his hair.

“All right, Mr Potter?” she asked, wondering if she was intruding.

“Not really but that can’t be helped,” he replied. Then he stopped. Pulled at his hair. Took a deep breath. 

“Sorry,” he said, shooting Lily a sheepish smile. “I’m getting nervous ‘cause I’m not that great with public speaking.”

Lily stared at him, incredulous. “You… You’re on the telly on a weekly basis.”

“That’s different. It’s taped and I’m not alone in the spotlight,” he explained.

But Lily didn’t swallow that explanation. She’d seen the youtube videos of some of his skits that her friends had linked to her. “But you used to do stand-up.”

“I did,” he admitted, “and I was always a nervous wreck before I got up on the stage.”

“Well for the record, it never showed. So I’m sure you’ll do great. Anything I can help you with? Can I get you tea? Water?”

“Thanks, love, but I’m good. Just need to get it over with.” The grin he offered her was a little feeble at the edges.

“It’ll be over sooner than you think,” Lily said, trying to be reassuring. “And no matter how you feel about public speaking, the people out there will be hanging on to your every word.”

“You can’t know that.”

“Yes, I can. My mum is out in that crowd, you know – and in advance I’m sorry for whatever she might say to you. She spent forty minutes last night on the phone with me telling how excited she was for this event and raving about you so…”

“Your mum, eh?” James Potter said, and this time the grin seemed more of his usual affair. “She sounds great.”

“She is, so go do her proud.”

That earned her a laugh – something which Lily was ridiculously pleased about.

“Well, I guess I have no other option then. Thanks, Lily. For everything.”

He brushed past her, heading out of the door. And briefly let his hand rest on her shoulder.

Even several minutes later, when Lily was standing at the back of the bookstore watching James Potter absolutely crush the reading, she could still imagine that warm weight there.


End file.
